The new book by Charles J. Sykes, Fail U.: The False Promise of Higher Education, is a powerful exposé of what is plaguing our higher education system. From professors to tuition, administrative bloat to classroom scandals, Sykes attacks the academic establishment from all sides and then offers a concluding remedy to repair American universities. This book, though a polemic that will certainly shock and annoy professional intellectuals, is a must read for young people and their parents preparing to make decisions about where to go to college.
Sykes has been a prolific writer on educational and social issues for a few decades now, and some ideas in Fail U. have been described in ProfScam (1988), Dumbing Down our Kids (1995), and elsewhere. But his latest text’s thorough coverage of topical issues and timeliness amid the higher education debates makes it particularly worthwhile. Ultimately, Sykes asks, is any of this worth it?
We constantly hear about how expensive college has become over the last 30 years, how young people not only can’t afford tuition but then can’t afford to pay back the money they are able to acquire. And politicians and university officials think they have solutions to increase access, reduce debt, and improve quality. But few ever ask why we are in this mess in the first place. Sykes lays blame on a variety of culprits.
He thoroughly discusses the wasteful spending that is frighteningly common on college campuses. He reveals the massive increase in university administration that costs millions but yields few results. He gives countless examples of luxurious building projects meant to entice prospective students but never produce improved learning. He highlights professors that rarely teach or meet with students yet earn massive grants and salaries for doing “research” no one cares about. If you want to know what is causing those inflated tuition prices, Sykes argues, here are a few places to start.
Sykes also criticizes the proliferation of “safe spaces,” “trigger warnings,” and “microaggressions” that now define the college experience. Campuses have, ironically, become more intolerant than ever, as the freedom to discuss real ideas has been replaced by intrusive rules for protecting sensitivities. Some schools promote blame studies more than actual academic disciplines, which has led to a decrease in student preparedness for future work. Sykes believes current academic culture has drifted so far away from its original intent that it simply isn’t worth the exorbitant cost.
Young people and their parents today are being defrauded, Sykes contends. They are asked to spend six figures on an opportunity they believe will put them on the path to success. But no one tells them why the tuition fees are so high or what exactly they will learn during their four years. There is no clearly defined correlation between a college degree and the sacrifice required to obtain one. Today’s students, he argues, are mindlessly following the herd through the ivy-covered gates, but end up being led off a cliff and falling into financial and intellectual ruin.
Sykes believes the proliferation of free streaming courses, notably MOOCs (massive open online courses), will provide a form of revolution to the traditional, expensive, and outdated education still in place on most college campuses. The opportunity to watch lectures online, work on projects at a faster pace, and receive certifications based on performance (instead of diplomas for simply surviving four years and paying a huge bill) will lead to a more educated and financially successful populace. Only time will tell if Sykes’s prediction will prove accurate.
While Sykes is clearly disappointed in the state of higher education, and he offers an extensive works cited list backing up his frustrations, he may not be arguing against college altogether. He simply seeks a change in a failed system and the potential for alternatives. He believes people should understand what they are committing to and consider important ramifications. While Sykes is harsh at times, and professors and administrators won’t agree with most of his claims, if only a fraction of what he describes is actually occurring on America’s campuses, our future may be in trouble. Fail U. is for anyone who wonders what really goes on at college. And anyone starting to sift through catalogs and fill out applications should know what they are getting themselves into.
Sykes has been a prolific writer on educational and social issues for a few decades now, and some ideas in Fail U. have been described in ProfScam (1988), Dumbing Down our Kids (1995), and elsewhere. But his latest text’s thorough coverage of topical issues and timeliness amid the higher education debates makes it particularly worthwhile. Ultimately, Sykes asks, is any of this worth it?
We constantly hear about how expensive college has become over the last 30 years, how young people not only can’t afford tuition but then can’t afford to pay back the money they are able to acquire. And politicians and university officials think they have solutions to increase access, reduce debt, and improve quality. But few ever ask why we are in this mess in the first place. Sykes lays blame on a variety of culprits.
He thoroughly discusses the wasteful spending that is frighteningly common on college campuses. He reveals the massive increase in university administration that costs millions but yields few results. He gives countless examples of luxurious building projects meant to entice prospective students but never produce improved learning. He highlights professors that rarely teach or meet with students yet earn massive grants and salaries for doing “research” no one cares about. If you want to know what is causing those inflated tuition prices, Sykes argues, here are a few places to start.
Sykes also criticizes the proliferation of “safe spaces,” “trigger warnings,” and “microaggressions” that now define the college experience. Campuses have, ironically, become more intolerant than ever, as the freedom to discuss real ideas has been replaced by intrusive rules for protecting sensitivities. Some schools promote blame studies more than actual academic disciplines, which has led to a decrease in student preparedness for future work. Sykes believes current academic culture has drifted so far away from its original intent that it simply isn’t worth the exorbitant cost.
Young people and their parents today are being defrauded, Sykes contends. They are asked to spend six figures on an opportunity they believe will put them on the path to success. But no one tells them why the tuition fees are so high or what exactly they will learn during their four years. There is no clearly defined correlation between a college degree and the sacrifice required to obtain one. Today’s students, he argues, are mindlessly following the herd through the ivy-covered gates, but end up being led off a cliff and falling into financial and intellectual ruin.
Sykes believes the proliferation of free streaming courses, notably MOOCs (massive open online courses), will provide a form of revolution to the traditional, expensive, and outdated education still in place on most college campuses. The opportunity to watch lectures online, work on projects at a faster pace, and receive certifications based on performance (instead of diplomas for simply surviving four years and paying a huge bill) will lead to a more educated and financially successful populace. Only time will tell if Sykes’s prediction will prove accurate.
While Sykes is clearly disappointed in the state of higher education, and he offers an extensive works cited list backing up his frustrations, he may not be arguing against college altogether. He simply seeks a change in a failed system and the potential for alternatives. He believes people should understand what they are committing to and consider important ramifications. While Sykes is harsh at times, and professors and administrators won’t agree with most of his claims, if only a fraction of what he describes is actually occurring on America’s campuses, our future may be in trouble. Fail U. is for anyone who wonders what really goes on at college. And anyone starting to sift through catalogs and fill out applications should know what they are getting themselves into.